Drive-in movies coming to Pelican Lake area

Drive-in movie theaters haven't been popular since the 1970s, but a Pelican Rapids area resort is bringing back the fun of the old drive-ins on four Saturdays in July.

"Everybody is at the lake looking for something to do, and this is a nice event for our guests and other people in the area," Fair Hills Resort group events coordinator Shannon Malzahn. "When we created it, we wanted a family friendly event that the whole family could go to on a Saturday night."

Fair Hills Resort will host a concert and drive-in movie series this summer. Each Saturday in July will feature a different area band followed by a classic film visitors can view from the privacy of their own vehicles, Malzahn said.

"This event crosses generations," she said. "Those who have never seen a drive-in movie will get to see one, and the older generations will talk about how they used to go all the time."

The series will take place two miles west of Fair Hills Resort on County Highway 20. Visitors can enjoy a full bar from 5 to 9 p.m. and concessions all night. There will be a $20 admission per vehicle for the whole night, or $5 admission for just the concert.

"We try to create events that become traditions," said Malzahn. "If it's popular, we hope to bring it back or even expand it next summer."

The drive-in movie will feature a 40-foot screen surrounded by a natural funnel of land where cars will park to watch the picture show.

"There's been a buzz about this since the day we mentioned it," Malzahn said. "We're expecting big crowds. People think this is a really cool idea."

Kicking off the series on July 7 will be a classic car night. Visitors are welcome to bring their classic cars for priority seating and free admission.

"I think it would be cool to see a whole bunch of classic cars in front of a drive in movie." said Malzahn. "Just the visual of that gets me excited."

The following are the bands and featured films for each Saturday in July.